Canadian Short Track National Team named for the first two World Cups of the season, one month prior to the first stage to be held in Calgary

Montreal, October 5, 2016 – Speed Skating Canada introduced today its full Short Track team which will represent Canada at the first two ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating stages of the season, one month prior to the start of the first event to be held November 4-6 at the Olympic Oval in Calgary.

Canadian Team members will start this new season looking to refine their preparation before the Olympic year while aiming to improve their performances from last winter. In 2015-2016, the Short Track National Team won a total of 54 medals, including nine at the World Senior Championships; 1 at the World Junior Championships and 44 in World Cups. Last year’s total tally (54), as well as the World Championship tally (9) were the greatest medal haul for the team since the 1999-2000 season. The World Cup total (44) was the best since 2001-2002.

Six Olympic medalistsCanada will send a total of six Olympic medalists in Calgary, as well as at the second World Cup of the season in Salt Lake City, U.S.A., November 11-13.

At the Fall World Cup Selections, held September 20-23 in Montréal, Olympic medalists Marianne St-Gelais (Saint-Félicien, QC), Charles Hamelin (Sainte-Julie, QC), Marie-Ève Drolet (Saguenay, Chicoutimi borough, QC), Charle Cournoyer (Boucherville, QC), Valérie Maltais (Chicoutimi, La Baie borough, QC) and François Hamelin (Sainte-Julie, QC), as well as Kim Boutin (Sherbrooke, QC), and Samuel Girard (Ferland-et-Boilleau, QC), all confirmed their spot on the Canadian team by finishing among the top four in the overall ranking.

Kasandra Bradette (Saint-Félicien, QC), and Jamie Macdonald (Fort St. James, B.C.), on the women’s side, as well as Pascal Dion (Montréal, Rivière-des-Prairies - Pointe-aux-Trembles borough, QC), and William Preudhomme (Toronto, ON), on the men's team, have been added to the Canadian roster as discretionary choices.

On the women’s side, Bradette and Macdonald respectively took the fifth and sixth spots based on the qualification process for the Fall World Cups, while Dion finished fifth and Preudhomme, eighth, on the men's side.

"It's a great honor to be selected to represent my country for the first two ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating this season. I'm especially looking forward to compete on home soil, at Calgary's Olympic Oval, where I spent so much time training and persevering to be on the National Team", said Jamie Macdonald from Fort St. James, B.C., who's training since 2011 at Calgary's Olympic Oval.

"Team Canada is such a powerful nation in short track speed skating, as we won 44 World Cup medals last season, a record since 2001-2002”, said Macdonald who took part in four World Cups last season and who won a bronze medal in the 1000m. “I'm inviting all Calgarians to come and enjoy the show as well as supporting their team in this pre-Olympic season at this competition to be held for the first time in Calgary since October 2012."

For World Cup #3 in Shanghai, China, December 9-11, and World Cup #4 in Gangneung, South Korea, to be held in the 2018 Olympic Games official rink, December 16-18, Patrick Duffy (Oakville, ON), seventh following the Fall World Cup Selections, will replace Preudhomme. On the women’s side, Bradette will also take part in both stages in Asia while the sixth and final spot will be decided following the first two World Cups.

About Speed Skating CanadaSpeed Skating Canada (SSC) is the governing body for competitive long track and short track speed skating in Canada. Founded in 1887, the association is comprised of 13 provincial and territorial branches representing more than 14,000 individual members, and counting. SSC believes that sport is an apprenticeship for life and prizes respect for others, integrity, excellence of effort, as well as a safe, healthy environment. SSC recognizes and values its outstanding volunteers who give freely of their time and expertise. It also celebrates the 63 Olympic medals won by Canadian athletes since 1932, as well as the coaches, officials and other dedicated individuals who helped them on their journey.

SSC is proud to be affiliated with partners that share the same vision and values including our premium sponsors Intact Insurance and Samsung, as well as our funding partners, the Government of Canada, Own the Podium, and WinSport Canada.